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Wayzata World Factbook 1996
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The World Factbook - 1996 Edition - Wayzata Technology (3079) (1996).iso
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terror
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hizball
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Hizballah (Party of God)
aka: Islamic Jihad, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of the
Oppressed on Earth, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine
Description
Radical Shia group formed in Lebanon; dedicated to creation of Iranian-style
Islamic republic in Lebanon and removal of all non-Islamic influences from
area. Strongly anti-West and antiIsrael. Closely allied with, and often
directed by, Iran, but may have conducted rogue operations that were not
approved by Tehran.
Activities
Known or suspected to have been involved in numerous anti-US terrorist
attacks, including the suicide truck-bombing of the US Embassy and US Marine
barracks in Beirut in October 1983 and the US Embassy annex in Beirut in
September 1984. Group also hijacked TWA 847 in 1985. Elements of the group
were responsible for the kidnapping and detention of most, if not all, US
and other Western hostages in Lebanon. Islamic Jihad publicly claimed
responsibility for the carbombing of Israel's Embassy in Buenos Aires in
March 1992.
Strength
Several thousand.
Location/Area of Operation
Operates in the Bekaa valley, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and southern
Lebanon: has established cells in Europe, Africa, South America, North
America, and elsewhere.
External Aid
Receives substantial amounts of financial, training, weapons, explosives,
political, diplomatic, and organizational aid from Iran.
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SELECTED INCIDENT CHRONOLOGY
APRIL,1983:
COMMITTED SUICIDE CAR BOMB ATTACK ON THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIRUT,
KILLING FORTY NINE AND WOUNDING 120. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY.
OCTOBER, 1983:
SUICIDE DRIVERS DROVE TWO TRUCKS CARRYING HIGH EXPLOSIVES INTO THE
U.S. MARINE AND FRENCH MILITARY BARRACKS IN BEIRUT, KILLING 241
U.S. AND 56 FRENCH. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
NOVEMBER, 1983:
A HIZBALLAH OPERATIVE DROVE A CAR BOMB INTO THE ISRAELI
HEADQUARTERS IN TYRE, CAUSING NUMEROUS CASUALTIES.
DECEMBER, 1983:
STAGED A SERIES OF CAR BOMB ATTACKS AGAINST THE U.S. AND FRENCH
EMBASSIES IN KUWAIT.
JANUARY, 1984:
MURDERED AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT PRESIDENT MALCOLM KERR, A
U.S. CITIZEN. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
JANUARY, 1984:
KIDNAPPED A SAUDI DIPLOMAT; RELEASED MAY, 1985.
FEBRUARY, 1984:
BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF FORMER IRANIAN
GENERAL GHOLAM REZA OVEISI (MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATOR FOR TEHRAN
UNDER THE SHAH) AND HIS BROTHER IN PARIS.
FEBRUARY, 1984:
KIDNAPPED U.S. PROFESSOR FRANK REIGER; RESCUED APRIL 1984.
MARCH, 1984:
KIDNAPPED U.S. JOURNALIST JEREMY LEVIN; ESCAPED FEBRUARY 1985.
MARCH, 1984:
KIDNAPPED WILLIAM BUCKLEY, U.S. DIPLOMAT STATIONED IN BEIRUT. HE
WAS REPORTED KILLED IN 1985. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
BUCKLEY'S REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO THE U.S. EMBASSY IN 12/91.
MAY, 1984:
KIDNAPPED REVEREND BENJAMIN WEIR, A U.S. CITIZEN; RELEASED IN
SEPTEMBER, 1985.
SEPTEMBER, 1984:
COMMITTED SUICIDE TRUCK BOMBING OF THE U.S. EMBASSY ANNEX IN EAST
BEIRUT. TWENTY THREE PERSONS, INCLUDING TWO AMERICANS, WERE
KILLED. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
DECEMBER, 1984:
HIJACKED KUWAIT AIR FLIGHT #221 TO TEHRAN. MURDERED TWO OFFICIALS
OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
JANUARY, 1985:
KIDNAPPED FATHER LAWRENCE JENCO, U.S. CITIZEN; RELEASED IN JULY
1986. ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
MARCH, 1985:
KIDNAPPED GEOFFREY NASH, UK CITIZEN; RELEASED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
MARCH, 1985:
KIDNAPPED BRIAN LEVICK, UK CITIZEN, RELEASED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
MARCH, 1985:
KIDNAPPED AP JOURNALIST TERRY ANDERSON, U.S. CITIZEN. RELEASED IN
DECEMBER, 1991.
MAY, 1985:
KIDNAPPED TWO FRENCH CITIZENS; ONE WAS KILLED IN MARCH, 1986 AND
THE OTHER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASED.
MAY, 1985:
KIDNAPPED DAVID JACOBSON, U.S. CITIZEN, OFFICIAL AT AMERICAN
UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT; RELEASED NOVEMBER, 1986. ISLAMIC JIHAD
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
MAY, 1985:
MURDER OF DENNIS HILL, U.K. CITIZEN. HIZBALLAH SUSPECTED.
JUNE, 1985:
KIDNAPPED THOMAS SUTHERLAND, U.S. CITIZEN, OFFICIAL AT AMERICAN
UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT. RELEASED IN NOVEMBER, 1991. ISLAMIC JIHAD
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
JUNE, 1985:
HIJACKED TWA FLIGHT #847 EN ROUTE TO ATHENS. U.S. NAVY DIVER
ROBERT STETHEM MURDERED. HIZBALLAH AND AMAL HELD 39 U.S.
CITIZENS HOSTAGE FOR 17 DAYS IN BEIRUT BEFORE THEY WERE RELEASED.
JULY, 1985:
ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBINGS OF AN AIRLINE
OFFICE AND A SYNAGOGUE IN COPENHAGEN. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND
TWENTY SIX WERE INJURED.
DECEMBER, 1985:
IMPLICATED IN A SERIES OF BOMBINGS IN PARIS.
MARCH, 1986:
KIDNAPPED FOUR FRENCH TELEVISION NEWS TEAM MEMBERS. THEY WERE
RELEASED BETWEEN JUNE, 1986 AND NOVEMBER, 1987.
SEPTEMBER, 1986:
KIDNAPPED FRANK REED, U.S. CITIZEN. RELEASED APRIL, 1990.
SEPTEMBER, 1986:
KIDNAPPED U.S. CITIZEN JOSEPH CICIPPIO. RELEASED DECEMBER, 1991.
SEPTEMBER, 1986:
HIZBALLAH SUSPECTED IN THE MURDER OF COLONEL CHRISTIAN GOUTIERRE,
FRENCH MILITARY ATTACHE IN BEIRUT.
SEPTEMBER, 1986:
SUSPECTED IN A SERIES OF PARIS BOMBINGS.
OCTOBER, 1986:
KIDNAPPED EDWARD AUSTIN TRACY, U.S. CITIZEN. RELEASED AUGUST 1991.
REVOLUTIONARY JUSTICE ORGANIZATION CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.
JANUARY, 1987:
KIDNAPPED ANGLICAN CHURCH ENVOY TERRY WAITE. RELEASED NOVEMBER
1991.
JANUARY, 1987:
KIDNAPPED BEIRUT UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS JESSE TURNER, ALAN STEEN,
ROBERT POLHILL - U.S. CITIZENS - AND M. SINGH. SINGH WAS
RELEASED IN OCTOBER, 1988. TURNER WAS RELEASED IN OCTOBER 1991,
STEEN WAS RELEASED IN DECEMBER 1991, AND POLHILL WAS RELEASED IN
APRIL 1990. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE OPPRESSED OF THE EARTH CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY.
JULY, 1987:
A SUSPECTED HIZBALLAH MEMBER HIJACKED AN AIR AFRIQUE FLIGHT BETWEEN
ROME AND PARIS. THE SUSPECT HAD BOARDED THE FLIGHT IN BRAZZAVILLE.
ONE FRENCH CITIZEN WAS MURDERED BEFORE THE HIJACKER WAS OVER-
POWERED BY A MEMBER OF THE CABIN CREW.
FEBRUARY, 1988:
KIDNAPPED UNITED NATIONS MILITARY OBSERVER AND U.S. MARINE LT.
COLONEL RICHARD HIGGINS. LTC HIGGINS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MURDERED
(DATE UNKNOWN). HIS REMAINS WERE HANDED OVER TO THE AMERICAN
EMBASSY IN BEIRUT IN DECEMBER 1991.
APRIL, 1988:
HIJACKED KUWAITI AIRWAYS FLIGHT #422 ENROUTE FROM BANGKOK TO
KUWAIT. PLANE INITIALLY DIVERTED TO MASHAD, IRAN, THEN TO CYPRUS,
AND FINALLY TO ALGIERS. TWO HOSTAGES WERE MURDERED DURING THE
INCIDENT. THE HIJACKERS ESCAPED IN ALGIERS.
OCTOBER, 1990:
ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CAR BOMBING IN ANKARA,
TURKEY, WHICH SERIOUSLY WOUNDED A SAUDI DIPLOMAT.
NOVEMBER, 1990:
ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MURDER IN BEIRUT OF
A SAUDI DIPLOMAT.
MARCH, 1991:
ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CAR BOMBING IN ANKARA,
IN WHICH AN IRAQI DIPLOMAT WAS INJURED.
MARCH, 1992:
ISLAMIC JIHAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBING OF THE
ISRAELI EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES, IN WHICH 29 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND
252 INJURED.
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THE ABOVE INFORMATION WAS DERIVED FROM MULTIPLE STATE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE, AND PUBLIC MEDIA SOURCE DOCUMENTS.